Wichita eagle., 1887-09-21
NEW STYLE ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

| Apropos the recent change of front by our
| elecric street railway, / would say to those
who hope to see it success, that the utiliza-
ton Of electrical energy"in propelling the
street cars in the winning Wonder" is in a
fair way to be accomplished.
I recently had the pleasure of examining a
set OF drawings prepared by a young me-
chanic. an employe Of one OF the railroads
here, that appeared to me to be without q
fault. Until the drawings are perfected by
letters patent no one will be permitted to in
epect them, but I am at liberty to give brief
description as best | can, that
those interested in such things may
know of the Importance of this invention.
All electricians know that the greatest OBJ
iections to the overhead system are their
light construction, break down at unforeseen
periods and from divers causes, escape of
electric current in damp, foggy weather,
weight of sleet on wires in winter weakening
the current when the sleet is falling and pos
sibly breaking or stretching the wires SO az
to stop working, and inconvenient and dan.
gerous to people from the conducting wires
The drawings above referred to have
underground conductor in water tight
pipes with small wells every
thirty feet to collect the water that might
enter through the inch and quarter open
ing at the surface Tie electric conductor
is insulated by heavy blocks of rough glass,
and the automatic ''current break" is ex-
tremely simple, strong and cheap; can be
made or repaired at any blacksmith shop for
a few cents, yet is positive in its action and
perfect in breaking" quality. The estimated
cost is about half that of a cable line, while
the operating expenses would not be more
than onehaf the amount necessary to
operate a cable doing the same business.
Double tracks are not necessary, but pre-
ferred, the turn being made by loop around
a block at each end Of the line. The
arrangement Of the cars is extremely inge-
nious. The speed can be regulated by
the engineer, so as to run one, four or eight
miles an hour; the brakes are applied by
means of large magnets, and in case of
dan ger, the engineer can divert the entire
cur rent through the brake magnets, causing,
practically, an instantaneous stop; for or
binary purposes the brakes are applied gent
ly, with power according with the load and
grade.
The current that furnishes the power also
lights the cars at night and furnishes the
means of communication between the con-
ductor and engineer; the mechanism is also
arranged to run backward if necessary, all
the different speeds, ETC., being easily con-
trolled by the engineer by means of small
levers ard push buttons. As an electric cur
rent in no way diminishes to any great ex-
tent by reason of its performing any
amount of work, it can be readily seen that
cars could be run fifty feet apart, if required
by the traffic, at little additional expense,
the current being like that of a swift stream,
furnishing as much power to the mills down
the stream as those farther up. By means Of
the underground system the pipes may be
subjected to blast of hot, dry air in damp,
heavy weather and the insulation kept per-
feet The wearing parts are few and of
cheap construction. No expensive gripes are
necessary as on cable, that might hold fast
and dash people to death as one recently did
and no multitude of little carrier wheels, the
friction of the aforesaid wheels and
of the cable, to be overcome
There being no possible chance for anyone
to be injured by the electric current high
tension" may be used, as that is the most
effective and cheapest. When the invent
ion is presented to the people of Wichita for
their inspection l donbt not but that it will
be heartily endorsed by all of its practical
and progressive men ELECTRICIAN.